Protective mask



Patented June 29, 1948 UNITED- PROTECTIVE MASK J ohn Pyungok Woo, San Francisco, Calif. Application December 21, 1943, Serial No. 515,093

2 Claims. (01. 128-142) This invention relates. to an improved protective mask for protecting the wearer from fumes, gases or other impurities in the air.

While the invention is adapted for general use, it is especially serviceable to those engaged in applying paint by the spraying method, the mask serving to eifectively protectth'e painter from breathing. the fumes and the paint spray during the painting operation.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved protective mask of that type embodying means to discharge compressed air in' jets directed away from the mask and in front of the face of the wearer so as todrive the fumes .orthelike away from the wearers'face and to provide a zone of clean air in front of the wearers face from which the wearer may obtain a supply for breathing purposes.

A more specific objectof the present invention is to provide a protective mask of the above character, wherein means is provided to discharge the compressedair in jets that are directed away from the shield in forwardly converging relation so as to provide a conical zone of clean air in front of the mask that eifectively excludes objectionable fumes and the like from the face of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a protective mask of the above character which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive, and eificient in use.

The present invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, showing a protective mask constructed in accordance with the present invention and operatively associated with the compressed air supply line of a spray gun. 4

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the mask shown in Figure 1, with the spray gun and its compressed air supply line omitted.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section through the spray head, taken substantially upon the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present invention includes a. completely flexible cloth hood 5, preferably constructed of canvas and adapted to completely envelope the head of the wearer, except at the eyes, nose and mouth, where the hood is provided with a relatively large front 2 opening 6 for free vision and breathing purposes. The hood is open at the bottom andis provided at the bottom with a hemmed edge 6", the hem of which loosely contains a shining cord having a projecting portion 1 that maybe "grasped and pulled to tightly draw the bottom of the hood about the neck of the wearer. The projecting portion of the cord 1 may be suitably tied to maintain it in shirred condition. y p 1 I The mask further includes a circular tubular spray head 8 of a di-ameter substantially the same as that of the opening 6,said spray head being suitably secured to the edge of the hood 5 that forms the wall of theopen'ingfi The spray head 8 is provided with a circular series of perforations or jet openings 9 that are pref erably closely related and uniformly spaced apart, and that, are disposed through the inner forward portion of the head 8 so as to discharge compressed air in jets directed away from the front of the mask and in forwardly converging relation as, indicated at Jilin Figure 1. This provides a conical zone of clean air in front of the mask and the face of the wearer, thereby effectively excluding fumes and the like from the wearer's face and providing a supply of clean air for the breathing purposes of the wearer of the mask. The spray head 8 has an outwardly projecting inlet nipple II at a suitable point about itsc'ircumference, and this inlet nipple is disposed to project upwardly at the top of the opening 6 where it is coupled at l2 with a compressed air supply pipe I3 that may be held to the top of the mask by a clamp M or the like. The pipe l3 extends upwardly and rearwardly and maybe of a suitable length for being coupled at I4 to the branchof a T-fitting l5 interposed in the compressed air supply line 16 of a spray gun I! or the like. The branch of fitting I5 preferably has a manual control and shut-off valve [8 by means of which the supply of compressed air to the spray head 8 may be controlled or shut ofi. The pipe I3 is preferably of such a length and connected to the line H5 at such a point that the valve [8 is within convenient reach of the wearer of the mask. Thus, the wearer of the mask may conveniently control the supply of compressed air to the spray head 8 as found necessary or desirable. The spray gun I! is of a conventional type commonly employed by those engaged in the application of paint by the spray method. However, it will be understood that the pipe l3 may be independently connected with the source of supply of compressed air when the mask is used by others 3 than those engaged in painting by the spraying method.

A device of this kind may be worn to afford the user proper protection without the inconvenience inherent in ordinary respiratory masks.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages of the present invention, will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes in details of construction illustrated and described may be made, such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a circular hollow spray head in the form of an annular pipe having an upwardly projecting inlet nipple at the top thereof and provided through its inner forward portion with a single circular series of closely related uniformly spaced openings disposed so that compressedair will be discharged therethrough in jets directed forwardly from the spray head in forwardly convergin relation to provide a substantially unbroken conical zone of clean air in front of the spray head, means to connect'the inlet nipple of the spray head to-a source of supply of compressed air, manually operable means for controlling the supply of compressed air to the spray head, and means to secure the sprayhead in a vertical position at the front of a persons face so that the zone of air will drive fumes or the like from the persons eyes, nose and mouth, said spray head being of a size and so disposed as to afford free vision and breathing therethrough by said person when so secured.

at the top thereof and provided through its inner 40 forward portion with a single circular series of closely related uniformly spaced openings disposed so that compressed air will be discharged therethrough in jets directed forwardly from the spray head in forwardly converging relation to provide a substantially unbroken conical zone of clean air in front of the spray head, means to connect the inlet nipple of the spray head to a source of supply of compressed air, manually operable means for controlling the supply of compressed ,air to the spray head, and means to secure the spray head in a vertical position at the front of a persons face'so that the zone of air will drive fumes or the like from the persons eyes, nose and mouth, said spray head being of a size and so disposed as to afford free vision and breathing therethroug-h by said person when so secured, said securing means comprising a completely flexible cloth hood adapted to completely REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 145,257 Tiffany Dec. 3, 1873 1,646,103 Patrick Oct. 18, 1927 1,891,100 Lauter-bur et al. Dec. 13, 1932 2,032,101 Sullivan "Feb. 25, 1936 2,051,736 McCandless Aug. 18, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 575,972 France May 2, 1924 France June 6, 19,36 

